Empress of Mars: Undisputed @zebratron2084@awoo.space

@Oneironott I mean, they are basically the Brock Fucking Samson of the seabug world... :O

So I've been pondering a Chaotic Good necromancer character, one who's just kind of "Designated Evil At Birth" a la Marcy from Adventure Time, but is in actuality just really chill and friendly about the idea of mortality.

So... I've been looking into animals with traditional death symbolism, and most of the available sources kind of SUCK. Almost every site lists "crows, cats, owls, moths, vultures, and bats," and I'm starting to wonder if they're all just copying from the same source.

So... folks with actual zoological knowledge: what's an animal you think kinda _should_ be associated with death, but rarely is, due to obscurity/cuteness/good PR? :) I'd love to make them something surprising like a hummingbird or a vole or something, but I need a species that has something really surprising and grotesque about it. Not necessarily viciousness-- like, I've already decided a shrew is RIGHT out-- just something to inspire moments of "Ew! I forgot you people DID that..." in their friends. =^_____^=

@LexYeen@snouts.online I mean, he's still basically got Stage 4 lung cancer for sure. :( But between them apparently nailing the entire brain mass and ruling out small-cell and lymphoma (IIRC)... his outlook is sure better than it was! This may nudge it _just_ over the line between "virtual death sentence" and "actual chance of victory." I'll take that, right now!

current #moodsnapshot: "Small Town Boy" by Bronski Beat but ironically because actually my Mom is totally cool with her son being a weird gay tiger-lady dork. =^_^;=

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88sARuFu-tc

Stepbrother is barely out of anesthesia, but he's still doing well. He recognized our parents' voices and squeezed their hands, so I'm pretty sure he's at least intact in there. Good day, all things considered.

@troodon I'm so jealous. I can't wait til Peg and I have a screamy cat. :D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsQIDTchNMg
[cw: "eeeeeeeeeeeee"]

#moodsnapshot

Matt's out of surgery. They think it was a success and he's in the best possible shape given the diagnosis. Fingers still crossed.

@001zlnv (Notorious ex-artist for the Sonic the Hedgehog comics line. Had a huge ugly dramatic spat with Archie comics over his personal use of characters he developed for Sonic. Decent summary at https://www.reddit.com/r/SonicTheHedgehog/comments/5wewlu/who_is_ken_penders_and_why_is_he_so_hated/deb2a7k/ )

@Austin_Dern And, I mean, it wouldn't be the MOST overcomplicated character concept I've ever attempted to play. :>

@Austin_Dern Werebadger tempts me to go the lazy route and involve Native American lore, but again, I REALLY don't want to go down that path... We could go down more of a Stephen King horror route, and make that kind of that world's prairie equivalent of the Innsmouth Look, sort of a mole-people heritage only bitier and snufflier?

And clown. Actually, no, that's easy now. Traveling carny. Maybe working undercover for some government occult agency. Maybe just roguish.

Well. I tried. 🐯​👍​

@Austin_Dern You know, I can ALMOST make the semiotic math work out for that character concept, but the clown part is gonna be _hard_ not to make sound really contrived...

I'm thinking someone from kind of Weird West universe, like Deadlands or Wild Wild West.

The "bionic" part can be fulfilled easily with steampunky prosthetics.

"Ninja" is rough to reconcile with Wild West without going into some clichéd places I don't like. Maybe they've just been stealth-trained...?

(con't!)

@Austin_Dern I have... um... _complicated_ aesthetics regarding the whole "clown <-------> harlequin" spectrum. :)

Sadly, that was not a real character, just a hypothetical pisstake on Rifts, but if I do ever get into a Rifts (or for that matter, Torg) campaign ever again, I will be SORELY tempted, I promise you...

@Phorm @JulieSqveakaroo *spittake* oh nooooooooooo

*guiltily pulls up chair and fetches popcorn*

@Phorm @JulieSqveakaroo Oh That Ken Penders(TM). :D

Stepbrother going in tomorrow morning for emergency surgery on his brain mass. Best case scenario for him (based entirely on guesswork, mom-intermediated medical information, and WebMD research) is probably 8-12 months, assuming he lives through tomorrow.

Another rift in my social circle, expelling a dear old friend into god knows what fate.

Two fucking weeks to get this entire apartment packed and shipped, in the middle of a busy cycle at work.

Lingering doubts, regrets, and self-loathing about the biggest friendship explosion of my life, aka The Thing.

But at this point, if the gods can just do me the small mercies of letting me keep my dragon, my new home, my laptop, my job, my health, and my webcomic... I'll be okay.

Other people won't be, and I'm still angry as hell-- at the world, at nature, at myself-- possibly at you, who the fuck knows, but it's far less likely-- about that.

But the Tigress Dude abides. None of it matters anymore. That eight-year drama called Seattle is canceled. My new sitcom drops on the 23rd. Can a psycho cat from Mars and a snarky lizard witch get along in the Big Easy? Check your local listings.

And all tragedy, given time, will transmute into comedy. It's the most important thing my family taught me, and my very last remaining point of faith.

@Austin_Dern See, I had just figured the guy trophy-hunts characters from the Rifts RPG. Ah, how I miss my bionic ninja cowboy werebadger clown and his trusty katana-gun-whip-glaive!

@Leucrotta @troodon A likely story...

@Phorm I like to think they're more like the exact mathematical endpoint opposite to zombo.com.

For every yin there must be a yang.-- a glycerine and fake-ass fruit-reeking yang with an Ed Hardy shirt, a knit beanie, and a tallboy in each hand. :)

As far as I can tell, this image below is the _complete and exhaustive_ catalogue of the Shithaust "art collective's" output.

I think I'm starting to fall in love with these lads, much the same way Frank Zappa fell in love with Captain Beefheart, Wild Man Fischer, and the Shaggs.